Subject: History of Bedford, Mass. by Lemuel Shattuck, 1835 Source: From: The History of the Town of Concord, Mass. by Lemuel Shattuck, 1835. Part 6 p.266 After Mr. Sherman's dismission from the church, several meetings were held to agree on the terms of communion. April 4, 1768, it was voted "that this church will have but one covenant and therefore require some qualifications in all; yet if any person can desire to enter into covenant and receive baptism for himself or children, and yet fears to approach the Lord's table at present, he shall be received, he promising (though he come not immediately to the Lord's table) that he will submit himself to the watch and discipline of the church." The other regulations of the church, though revised, were not materially varied from those already noticed. During the interval till the ordination of Mr. Sherman's successor, 28 persons were baptized and 7 joined the church in full communion. On September 7, 1767 the church chose the Rev. Josiah Thacher, a graduate of Nassau Hall in 1760, to be their minister and the town agreed to give him £120 settlement and £60 as his annual salary. But before the application could be regularly made to him, he received and accepted a call at Gorham. February 18, 1768, the church made a second attempt to settle a minister and chose unanimously by 22 votes, the Rev. Joseph Willard. The town concurred and voted the same salary as to Mr. Thacher, excepting that when he should be unable to supply the pulpit, he was to receive but £30. Before the terms of his settlement were finally agreed upon, he declined being considered a candidate. The Rev. Joseph Willard was a native of Grafton, was graduated at Harvard College in 1765, ordained in Mendon April 19, 1769, dismissed December 14, 1782 and installed at Boxborough November 2, 1785. He died in September, 1828, aged 86 years. p.267 In the next attempt the church did not proceed with much harmony. A majority were in favor of Mr. John Emerson of Malden, but "for peace sake," Mr. Asa Dunbar, "a young candidate newly begun to preach," was employed for a month. At length, August 22, 1769, the church chose Mr. Emerson by 18 votes and the town concurred, and voted him £133 settlement and £66. 13 shillings & 4 pence salary. "But there was such an opposition in town against Mr. Emerson settling here, though without any charge against his character either in doctrine or morals, that he was constrained to give the church and town a denial." The next trial succeeded. Mr. Joseph Penniman was chosen, January 15, 1771 by 29 out of 31 votes, and the choice concurred in by the town. His salary was the same as was voted to Mr. Emerson. He was ordained May 22, 1771. The council consisted of the second church of Braintree, the second in Cambridge, the first in Woburn and the churches in Billerica, Lincoln, Lexington and Concord. The Rev. Mr. Sherman of Woburn made the first prayer; the Rev. Mr. Weld of Braintree preached from 2 Tim. ii.2; the Rev. Mr. Cook of West Cambridge gave the charge; the Rev. Mr. Clark of Lexington gave the right hand of fellowship. The town voted, "that the day should be religiously observed agreeably to the solemnity of the occasion, that they were determined, as much as in them lay, to prevent all levity, profaneness, music, dancing, frolicking and all other disorders." After about twenty years, during which 42 persons wer admitted to full communion and 190 baptized, objections were brought against Mr. Penniman, and referred to a council, consisting of the churches in Waltham, Chelsea, East Sudbury, Billerica, Weston and Charlestown. It met October 29, 1793 and, after three days' session, advised a separation. This was complied with by the church and town; and he was dismissed November 1, 1793. The Rev. Mr. Penniman was born in Braintree and graduated at Harvard College in 1765. After his dismission he removed to Harvard, Mass., where he died. Though possessed of respectable talents, he was very eccentric in his manners and public performances. His prayers were more like a familiar conversation with a fellow being than an address to Deity. Many of his expressions more marked than the following, are still recollected by his people. p.268 On a certain occasion when a plentiful rain had come after a drought, he said, "We prayed, O Lord, for rain, but we do not wish thou shouldest leave the bottles of Heaven unstopped." So after the the 19th of April, 1775, (Battles of Lexington & Concord) he is said to have used the expression, "We pray thee to send the British soldiers where they will do some good; for thou knowest, O Lord, that we have no use for them about here !" December 5, 1793 was kept as a fast by the church and the town. The Rev. Messrs. Litchfield, Cummings, Ripley, Marrett, and Clark assisted in the public religious services on the occasion. The Rev. Samuel Stearns was chosen December 17, 1795 by the church and December 28th by the town; having preached his first sermon in Bedford the 13th of the previous September. The churches of Lexington, Billerica, second in Woburn, Concord, Lincoln, Carlisle, second in Andover, Epping, Chelmsford, and the Rev. Doctors Willard and Tappan of Cambridge composed the council. The Rev. Mr. Stearns of Lincoln made the first prayer; the Rev. Mr. French of Andover preached from Isaiah xlix.5; the Rev. Mr. Clark of Lexington gave the charge; the Rev. Mr. Cummings of Billerica gave the right hand of fellowship; and the Rev. Dr. Tappan made the closing prayer. The town agreed to give the Rev. Mr. Stearns £850 settlement and $333.33 salary to be stated on the following articles: corn 666 mills and rye 833 mills per bushel; beef 4.166 per hundred weight and pork 55 mills per pound; one quarter of the salary in each of the above articles. In 1811, a new contract was made and the salary fixed at $560 and 20 cords of wood annually. The confession of faith and the covenant were revised in 1798 and printed in 1821. The church then contained 105 members of whom 40 were males and 65 females. In 1829 there were 140 members. The Rev. Samuel Stearns, son of the Rev. Josiah Stearns was born at Epping, New Hampshire April 8, 1770 and graduated at Harvard College in 1794. His ministry has generally been remarkably peaceful and happy. It is only within the last two years that the town gave any decided indications towards a division of the religious society, after the example of her neighbors. In 1842 this division was made and a new meeting house erected for Mr. Stearns. To be continued Part 7 - p. 269 - The Deacons. 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